Toronto is one of my favourite cities. I love the hustle of the busy city, the countless events, and all of the amazing food spots. There are so many things to do, it’s impossible to be bored. I can spend full days touring new neighbourhoods and checking out local hot spots. You’ll never run out of things to do in Toronto, read more about it my Toronto Travel Guide.
As amazing as Toronto is, there is one downfall to travelling to Toronto – the weather. Toronto has the most amazing summer and fall but if your trip to Toronto happens in the winter months, make sure you pack extra layers. You’re going to be treated to some bone-chillingly cold days. Toronto is a very walkable city but it isn’t fun to battle the cold and slush in the winter months. The best time to visit Toronto would be between April and October.
No matter when you come to Toronto, there will be no shortage of things to do. From baseball games to concerts, food festivals to pop-up shops, there is always something exciting to check out. After spending a lot of time in Toronto, I’ve come up with some of my favourite places to stay, eat and visit.
Stay
Accommodations in Toronto can be pricey. Especially if there is a big event happening. I highly recommend looking for an Airbnb for your stay in Toronto. No matter where you stay, downtown is easily accessible on the TTC or with Uber and Lyft but I would recommend looking for somewhere in the downtown core. If You’ll be walking distance to all of the Toronto hot spots and you’ll get a real feel for the city. If you would rather stay at a hotel there are a lot of them around downtown but three of my favourites are the Beverly Hotel, The Thompson Hotel or One King West.
Eat
Toronto is home to so many great restaurants. No matter what type of cuisine you are feeling you will be able to find something and it will likely be within walking distance. Mexican and Italian are my favourites and I cannot get enough La Carnita, Grand Electric, Piano Piano, and Terroni. If you have a sweet tooth, there are so many delicious ice cream spots. My favourites are Bang Bang on Ossington or Eva’s Original Chimneys. Another spot you should make time to check out is Junked Food Co. for a Smash Bag.
For all of the coffee lovers, you’ll find some amazing coffee shops on almost every corner. If you’re downtown Toronto check out Dineen Coffee Co, Quantum Coffee, or Jimmy’s Coffee. If you’re around Yorkville check out Sorry Coffee Co hidden in the back of Kit and Ace on Bloor Street. There are quite a few different apps you can use while you’re in Toronto to help you find some delicious food to eat. Ritual is great if you’re spending some time in Toronto and want to get some points towards free food. A lot of places have a Ritual pick-up area so you can order on the app and don’t have to wait in line for your food. A new app called Feedback will use your location to give you a list of restaurants around you that are offering a discount so I recommend checking them both out while in Toronto.
Visit
If you want to hit the tourist spots in Toronto buy a Toronto City PASS. For $88 you’ll be able to visit the CN Tower, Casa Loma, the Royal Ontario Museum, Ripley’s Aquarium, and the Ontario Science Centre. Another great way to see the city and check out all of these spots is by getting a ticket to the City Sightseeing Toronto bus tour. You’ll see these red double-decker buses everywhere and with your ticket, you can hop on and hop off any of them for 24 hours. For those looking to tour around on your own, start at Nathan Philips Square. This is where the famous Toronto sign can be found and is a great spot to start your day in Toronto. From here you can walk to the Eaton Centre or Queen West to do some shopping, or head down towards the Harbour Centre to walk by the water. Walk up Spadina to get to Kensington Market for a more unique Toronto experience and check out some of the great vintage shops. If you’re in Toronto on a Sunday in the warmer months, Kensington has pedestrian Sundays and these
are the best days to go to the market.
If you decide to travel a bit east of downtown Toronto you’ll be able to check out the Distillery District and on your way make a stop at St. Lawrence Market. One bonus to visiting Toronto in the winter is the Christmas Market in the Distillery District. Here you can find some amazing vendors, delicious apple cider, heated outdoor patios, and a lot of adorable photo opportunities. The Christmas Market has become my favourite holiday activity in Toronto. If you aren’t visiting around that time, the Distillery District is still a really great spot to check out. Plan to eat at El Catrin. St. Lawrence Market is home to 120 vendors, merchants, and artisans and has the most amazing farmers market in the city every Saturday.
If you’re in Toronto for a while and want to spend some time relaxing, pick up a snack and walk over to Trinity Bellwoods Park to spend some time lounging in the sun or hop on a ferry to the Toronto Islands. You can rent bikes and bike around the island or just lay out in the sun at one of the many beaches. Make sure to bring snacks when you visit the islands because there aren’t many spots to pick up food while you’re there.
Toronto really is one of the greatest cities in Canada and one of the most multicultural cities in the world. There is so much to see and do while visiting Toronto you won’t be able to check it all off in just one trip. You can see a baseball game, grab a drink on a rooftop patio and attend a concert on the water all in one afternoon and within a short walk. There is something for everyone. I encourage you to come to Toronto and experience this amazing city for yourself.
Toronto is a great place for Digital Nomads
Toronto is a great place to base yourself as a digital nomad, it features on our list of best places for DNs in Canada. Do you want to know what the others are?
